The 100 Year War
by TK-421-124
Summary: When people think of the war that lasted a hundred years, people look for every bit of fantasy romance or friendship they can find. This isn't a story like that. In war, especially one that's lasted almost a century, there will be many deaths, lies, secrets, deceit, and horror. Push aside what you want to see and view what war really was. A Tie-In to The Fire Nation Resistance
1. The 1st Non-Bending Battalion: Part 1

**Saturday**

 **7** **th** **day of Winter,**

 **97 years after Air Nation Genocide**

 _Please note that Fire Nation Private, Quin Longer of the 1st Non-Bending Battalion, Squadron 6 is here by promoted to the rank of Captain following the suicide of Captain Rodrick Bridger. He is to command his eight comrades: David Sutcher, Tomas Brensky, Silrick Ventoro, Shuno Metallis, Mido Prowlest, Viccan Samira, Hiero Savuti, and Mackinson Vense. Please refer to this article if rank confusion arises._

 **Notice of Promotion from Fire Lord Ozai's Palace to 1st Non-Bending Battalion General Zuik Odair.**

So that's it. I've been promoted to Captain of Squad 7. Still feel wrong to have a replacement on such short notice following a devastating suicide. Doesn't seem right. In the end, though, it's not my call. It's the Fire Lord's. Which seems to be the only thing that matters now.

I have 8 people who I'm responsible for. Any wrong move and they could all die within a second. One wrong move. One fuck up is all it takes to kill everyone. Not to mention that I'm the outsider now. I'm not like the rest of them anymore. Hell. I used to be a lookout and now I'm the squad's captain. They should have just hired a new one. Then we would be ten strong again. Now we only have nine. It's unfortunate.

This, however is what I chose. Well, what I was recruited into at the very least. I'm barely even an adult and I'm already in the middle of the war. Does th Earth Kingdom recruit this young? I don't even know, but I'm a Fire Nation citizen. It may not be the best, but my homeland is mine. I need to stand for it.

The others seem to see me as more of an outsider though. I'm no longer considered their equal although we're still one the same. The don't see it that way, however. Tom, Shuno, and Dave have begun to refer to me as "Boss". I don't think it'll stick. I think it's just a small joke that'll pass in time. It seems to be a branding on me that I'm not who I was before which is complete bullshit.

I hope my command is just temporary. I prefer my role of lookout. I've got good eyes. I should put them to use.

"Boss!" I hear from behind me in the forest. It's Shuno We've set up camp in a clearing west of an Earth Kingdom controlled village. Orders should be coming in within the hour via messenger hawk.

"It's Quin!" I yell back.

"Whatever! What are your orders?"

"Should be coming in soon."

"Think that the Earth Kingdom is holding out in the town?"

"It would explain why we're here. I doubt we'd be stationed here if it was just civvies. Must be military there."

"Probably."

"Would you like me to send out a scout, sir?"

"No. And don't call me that."

"So long as you're waiting next to the command tent for orders from the general with soldiers under your command and I'm one of them, I'll call you sir."

He walked towards where some of the others where cooking lunch together. He's right though. If I wasn't in this position, I'd join them and be one of them, but duty calls that I stay here and await further orders. Maybe after they come, there'll be some left.

A few minutes later, the squawking of the messenger hawk sounds from over the forest. I turn my eyes to the noise as it comes into view. I hold my arm out. Recognizing me as the recipient, it lands on my arm. I pat it on the head and open the container latched onto it's back. I take out the rolled piece of paper within the container and reclose it. The hawk takes off to return to where it came from, I watch it leave and turn my attention to the orders in front of me. I unroll the paper and read what is demanded of me for today.

 _Operation Target: Zu-Fao Village_

 _Operation Commander: Quin Longer_

 _Operation General: Zuik Odair_

 _Operation Orders: Restrain, Confiscate, and Eliminate_

 _Operation Description: Restrain Zu-Fao civilians. Confiscate all property for future Fire Nation requisition. Eliminate witnesses and/or survivors._

 _By decree of Fire Lord Ozai_

 **This is just the first chapter of a small series. I'll post it as a different story so you can just read it for background information, origin stories, etc. I'd appreciate if you gave me your thoughts on this in the review section.**


	2. The 1st Non-Bending Battalion: Part 2

_My apologies, Your Majesty, but I cannot help but not see the validity of your choice in Now-Captain, Quin Longer as your choice for promotion. Silrick Ventoro has demonstrated all of the qualities of Captain: Loyalty, Strength, and ferocity. He has been promoted as was your command, but I feel the need to recommend Silrick as his replacement._

 **Concerns of promotion from** **1st Non-Bending Battalion General Zuik Odair to Fire Lord Ozai's Palace.**

"Line Up the civilians!" I hear from Silrick from a few steps behind me as he walks up next to me in front of the huddled group of captives now being lined up according to Silrick's unauthorized command.

I pace a few steps back to meet him and not-so-quietly whisper "The fuck are you doing?"

He answers back normally "Umm. Following orders. You?"

I have unsuccessfully been attempting to postpone the inevitable for the past few minutes, all put to waste by Silrick's order.

The 27 civilians were all now lined up in the center of the town. Husbands separated from wives, poking their heads out of the line to check on them, children crying, and some glaring at our masked faces.

"Kneel!" I hear from next to me again.

"Cut it the fuck out or disobedience is how you'll leave the frontline and be reduced to latrine-filterer."

I hear him let out a small amused gasp and say "You're one to talk about disobedience. Give the order, Captain."

The rest of my men are standing around the civilians. All 9 of us are accounted for. I honestly hoped at least one would come to his senses and take off. Sticking around was pointless.

"It's them or us." I hear from next to me again. I was hoping there would be resistance and he above all would take a knife to the brain. He didn't deserve such a quick death, but at least the voice would be gone.

"How's that?"

"Order their execution and they die. Do nothing, and we're all executed for treason. Do you really want that for your soldiers?"

"For one them I might."

"Alright. Alright." He says with his hands in front of them as he backs off. "Give the order and we can all go."

"How about you do it? You've enjoyed every other order you gave so far." I say in an attempt to not have to be the one to give the order.

"As much as I'd love to, this is your moment." Which is the last he says before he walks forward and grabs his spear leaning on the side of a now half-destroyed house. The rest of the town is on fire. You don't need firebenders to cause havoc. That's been demonstrated well enough today. _It's them or us. It's them or us. Them or Us. THEM or US._

I don't bother taking a breath before I say it. I just get it done with as quickly as possible. "Kill the prisoners"

I notice that some spears go down instantly as others take a moment of shock and then proceed as orders. I distinguish those with morals and the killers then. I don't know what's worst. Being the killer or giving the order. I'm as much as both right now for all anyone cares. I close my eyes inside of the helmet. On the outside, I look like the stone-hearted commander, watching and enjoying the pity and death. On the inside, I know I'm a monster.

In a matter of seconds, they're all dead. Lifeless innocents slumped dead on the ground. Above all others in the world guilty of the worst sins imaginable, the only ones truly innocent of all crimes are the ones to face an end to their lives in a matter of seconds because in war, you will die like a dog for no good reason.

Welcome to War


	3. The 1st Non-Bending Battalion: Part 3

_I do not appreciate your lack of faith in my direct orders. Know that I had him assigned for my own reasons which are none of your concern. Sometimes loyalty must be put up to the ultimate test. I trust that our new captain will succeed unlike how yours has very obviously failed. I do not allow those unfit to serve in my army. You will learn my meaning soon enough._

 **Documented personal meeting between Fire Lord Ozai and 1** **st** **Non-Bending Battalion General.**

I would be lying if I said that was the first incident I have witnessed of questionable morality in the Fire Nation. I've been the witness of slavery, abuse, murder, and rape. All things that would appear to be able to burst the bubble created by any propaganda or brain washing known to man, but this was the straw that broke the camel's back. In the last week, we've been moved further northeast into the Earth Kingdom, nearing Ba-Sing-Se one day at a time. The Fire Nation has been making plans for a new attempt at conquering the Earth Kingdom Capital since General Iroh's defeat over a year ago.

I've been making my own plans over the last week. Plans of defection. I'm hoping to involve my entire squad. It's about time I actually took responsibility. If it seems like it's going to backfire, I'll take those I've convinced already and leave. It won't be easy. They were born and raised in the Fire Nation. The colonies at the very least. Their families are Fire Nation. I'd be asking them to betray everything they've ever known. They're still kids. 16 is too young an age for war. All of them are less than even 18. They have parents who non-adult sons would be leaving them behind to fight against their nation. It's not a problem with me. Maybe I'm lucky that I never met them. I can't say the same for the rest.

I look up from the laid down map in front of me, marked with ink, torn, and obvious signs of constant folding and crumbling. The tent I'm inside is designed to be set up in less than an hour including Fire Nation Flags, and propaganda. Now on the walls I see the banner of my soon to be enemy. I think of who to approach first. Tom and Shuno. Dave would come next of course. He never appeared to have any personal ties to the homeland. I hope I'm right. Tom and Shuno are good friends though. We've been friends since assignment to the same squad. If that relationship has maintained itself, they should be easy to recruit. I'll worry about the rest later. I want to have them join me in a way that won't catch the attention of any others. I stand up from the stool I'm sat on and leave the tent, pushing the red flaps aside from in front of me. It's midday. If this goes by easily, we'll all be ready to leave by night fall. We can turn ourselves over to the Earth Kingdom Camp north of here. Hopefully they won't kill us on sight and we'll be able to either join the Earth Kingdom army or form our own militia. I'll see what appeals to the others once we're there.

I see Tom and Shuno already sat together further north of the camp in a deserted area behind one of the tents, eating their lunch. It's a perfect moment. I grab a plate of roasted frog squirrel, compliments to Mido and head over to the other two.

"Hey Boss" says Tom with a mouth full of his filling. Shuno nods at me with a smile on his face.

"Hey Boss" says Tom after he swallows the food that had previously rendered him speechless and he faces me. "Settle an argument. Are they called sky bison?" he says while obviously shaking his head. "Or air buffalo" as he nods very obviously.

"Sky Bison." I say. In old documents found in libraries regarding Air Nomad civilization, excluding edited material, it very obviously refers to their mounts as sky bison.

"Told you so" says Shuno from my right.

"What?! How? That just sounds stupid in so many ways."

"The Fire Nation very clearly refers to them as Sky Bison." I say.

"Well fuck the Fire Nation I say."

That's a great way to start the conversation. Now how do I continue it? _"Speaking of which, let's leave the Fire Nation and never come back."_ I don't exactly see that working. I'll try differently.

"Look Tom, Shuno. There's something we need to talk about."

"Wasn't me." Says Shuno jokingly, sat atop his rock.

I push it aside and continue. "You remember what happened a week ago."

II instantly see the change of looks in their faces from cheerful to solemn. I hate to be the one to cause that change, but It's what I have to do. "I don't think that it's a great idea to stick around if these are the orders we're supposed to obey."

"Wait. Wait." Says Tom. "Are you actually talking about defection?"

"Yes. I am."

"You can't just ask us to defect." Says Shuno. "We have family, friends, **lives!"**

"I know. I realize how much of a sacrifice it would be, but I don't think I can sleep well anymore if the next day I'm going to be ordered to burn down a farm, steal from innocents, or murder a couple's children while we force them to watch."

"But defection. We'd be leaving everything behind" says Tom.

"Not to mention having the entire Fire Nation on our asses." Says Shuno.

"Which is why this decision will alter how everything plays out from here. If you say no, I'm going, I won't say where, but I'd be leaving. If you say yes, however, I'd be a step closer to stopping ourselves from becoming monsters."

The silence that proceeds feels like it takes up the remainder of the day, but when I have their answer, not a minute has passed. It says a lot that it took them so little time to say yes.

 _General Zuik Odair-Deceased-Cause: Execution-Reason: Insubordination_

 _Replacement is to be General Huey Zemir._


	4. The 1st Non-Bending Battalion: Part 4

3 troops

2 tents

½ crate food

5 bottles water

1 spear

2 worn knives

3 lbs. firewood

1 pack matches

 _Fire Nation camp spotted south of our position. They seem as if preparing for a raid on our camp. We'll try to hold them off, but the numbers are in their favor. Send reinforcements to y-153 x-73. Additional supplies would be appreciated as well._

 **Intelligence Report from Lieutenant Rin Yamoa to General Fong**

By the time I had finished talking to Mido and Viccan. They agreed with my reasoning and decided to join me. Dave was the easiest to convince. The second I even suggested it, he jumped aboard. I assume that there isn't much left in the Fire Nation for him considering his willingness to abandon it. The next on my list was Hiero. I admit that I didn't know him like I did Silrick, but I didn't expect anything positive from talking to him. If I got Hiero and Mac on board and Silrick declined, we could leave instantly with all but one of our original squad.

Hiero was all alone by his tent obviously getting ready for the night. There was nobody else around him. I had Tom, Dave, Mido, Viccan, and Shuno waiting near the edge of camp, ready to get on short notice if anything went wrong.

I take a deep breath and walk over to Hiero. He sees me coming over and stand up in attention and bows down to me with "Boss!"

"Hey Hiero."

"What is it, sir?"

"We need to talk about something."

"Sure. What is it, sir?"

Hiero was always loyal to whoever was above him, but he did have a sense of morality. I was dependent on the latter overpowering the former.

"You remember what happened a week ago, right?"

As did all others, his face sunk in obvious dismay. "Yeah."

"I honestly don't think that me or any others here should be faced with an order like that ever again. I don't think I could manage to kill-"

"-Wait. You aren't suggesting defection. Are you, sir?"

"Yes. I am."

I see the obvious look of difficulty on his face as choosing between two life-altering choices would do to someone. I continue, hoping to help him see reason.

"Being forced to do something like that is something nobody should be put up with. One day we're killing civilians, the next day raping them, followed by us killing the children of couples in front of them. I don't want to be in a military that commands that from us. So. What do you say?"

He looks up from the ground and faces me, confliction visible on his face from a mile away. "Okay, but I don't think others will feel the same."

"You think Silrick and Mac will feel differently?"

To that he nods his head. Then this was our last stop.

"Okay. we're ready to go now if you are."

"Alright. Let me just ... gather my stuff.

"Sure."

I turn around and walk to where the rest are, ready and willing to leave both the camp and our previous lives.

"He say yes?" asks Mido.

"Yeah, but according to him, the rest won't feel the same. We leave now."

"You sure it's not worth a try?" asks Shuno

"Can't risk it. We have an opportunity to leave without complication or suspicion and I'm taking it."

"Okay then." Says Dave. "So where is he?"

"Packing up."

"There he is" says Viccan from atop a stony edge of a hill, hit dangling down.

I look behind me and see Viccan walking towards, emptyhanded.

"What about your stuff?" I ask.

His eyes quickly dart up to mine and he stutters for a second and says "Decided to leave it behind."

I look behind me to see the others getting up and down into standing position, ready to leave behind everything.

"Alright." I say. "Let's go."

The walk started easily enough. We all left the camp quietly and began heading north. The camp was supposed to be a good 10-12 miles north of us. The plan was that we'd get there, turn ourselves in and tell them that we want to defect or at least find safe passage into a nearby city where we could take it ahead from. Nobody said anything. I was at the front with Dave and Shuno. Tom and Mido in the center and in the back, Hiero and Viccan.

We've already been walking for a good 20 minutes. By now, Silrick and Mac must've realized that we had left and were probably searching for us. They'd know that if we were trying to go AWOL, we'd go North.

Then everything happens at once. I hear a noise behind me, turn around and they're an extra two figures than before. Silrick and Mac. They and Hiero equip their own knives and Hiero lunges forward, grabbing Mido, and sliding the knife across his throat allowing the dark red blood, black in the night to flow down his neck over his hands. I see the same happen to Viccan at the hands of Silrick. By now, anyone let alive is in full combat mode. Tom takes out his own tagger, previously holstered at his side. He immediately goes after Hiero. It was a trap. Hiero set us up.

I grab the hilt of my short-sword and unsheathe it, now holding it in front of me. In the fight between Tom and the traitor, Tom momentarily loses his advantage which is all Hiero needs to kill him. Before it comes possible, Shuno steps in and plunges spear into his side, the tip now unseen due to its location in Hiero's side. I start making my way forward along with Dave, both wielding weapons. It's 2 against 4. Tom is now nearer to us than Shuno, the three of us stepping forward to resume the fight. Out from Shuno chest comes the blade of a sword. He died while facing us. The color quickly drains his face and as soon as the sword is taken out of his body by his killer, Mac, he falls face first into the ground. Dave and I charge forward towards him. Silrick is on our right ready to flank us, but Tom comes in with his own sword and parries his attack. I bring down my sword to attack Mac, but he blocks it with his own. Dave joins in and swings his sword at Mac's side, cutting him open as blood and guts begin to slowly make their way out as the opening grows. He lowers his sword and I use the opening to lunge mine into his chest, killing him there. I turn to my right to see Tom instantly pushed to the ground ready to be impaled by Silrick now wielding his own spear. I swing my sword in one swift movement and cut into his right ankle, nearly separating it from his body. He falls down to land on his left knee. Tom grabs his sword from the ground and stabs Silrick directly in the kneecap. I hear his yell as he falls on the ground, still alive. I offer a hand to Tom and he takes it as I help him off the ground.

Dave bends down and grabs the spear dropped by Silrick. Now, we're all facing Silrick, on the ground, severely injured. We all know what we want and I nod to Dave to do it. He raises the spear and plunges it down into his head. So quickly we lost over half of our squad in one internal fight. Our plan was to get at least 6 out, but we ended with half that. That's the first time I saw my friends die. It wouldn't be the last.


	5. Zuko's Reassignment

The Fire Nation Prince Zuko stood on the main deck of the Fire Nation scout ship with 2 Fire Nation soldiers in front of him with whom he was sparring. The soldier on the left shot a blast of fire which Zuko crouched to avoid as it sailed above him. AS the prince was crouched, the second soldier shot a fireball at him at waist level, which was head level in the position Zuko was in. He rolled to the side and shot a blast of his own to the rightmost soldier. The blast was stopped by the soldier with an outstretched arm. Zuko, angered by this, shot multiple fireballs in the soldier's direction. The soldier blocked the first two, but then was hit multiple times by the miniature fireballs that wouldn't stop coming.

The second soldier used the opportunity to create an arch of fire with his right leg, jump, and send it to the prince with the left. Zuko, distracted by his current victim was hit full force in the chest of his battle armor, knocking him down onto the ground, defeated.

Zuko planted both hands on the ground and raised to his feet. When facing the two soldiers, they bowed and walked past Zuko in the direction of the entrance to the ship's interior.

When they walked past him, in both hands he began to charge up two fireballs, but was stopped mid-action by the sound of his Uncle saying "That's enough, Zuko" in the calm voice of his which was nearly driving Zuko to the edge.

He allowed both fireballs to dissipate, creating a small cloud of smoke, rising from his hands.

Zuko sighed in a useless attempt to calm down and as a result of its uselessness, became more enraged. He tore of his clean battle armor chest plate save for the scorch mark in the front from his most recent encounter and dropped it to the ground.

He would have entered if it wasn't for the call of a messenger hawk approaching Zuko's ship. He stayed where he stood, in front of the Steel door, waiting for the hawk to approach him and became enraged when it landed on Iroh's Pia Sho table between him and his opponent so softly that all pieces stayed where they were, and turned around, for him to open.

Iroh gladly opened the Hawk's satchel and removed the piece of paper.

 _By Orders of the Fire Lord,_

 _You are to postpone your search for the Avatar and divert your resources to the destruction of a dangerous group of Terrorists. They have stolen ships Wanderer and Brigadier, and have destroyed Courier. We suspect that they are becoming larger by the day and scouts report an approximate count of 8 main personnel and 2 scouts. We intercepted one of said scouts and interrogated them for information. We have the coordinates of their ship. The rest lays in your hands. Eliminate these terrorists._

"We are being reassigned" said Iroh.


End file.
